Streamline Coded Integrations with Heroku AppLink
Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:
- Explain how Heroku AppLink streamlines coded integrations with Salesforce.
- Identify the key benefits of using Heroku’s secure infrastructure for custom actions.
- Describe how developers can bring trusted code in any language to Salesforce experiences.
A New Way to Enhance Salesforce with Custom Code
Modern businesses need to extend Salesforce with custom functionality that goes beyond what's possible with native platform capabilities. Whether it's complex calculations, external API integrations, or specialized processing, there are times when custom code is the perfect solution to accelerate your Salesforce experiences.
Heroku AppLink introduces a streamlined approach to bringing trusted custom actions developed in any language directly into Salesforce experiences like Agentforce, Flow, and Apex.
Traditional Integration Approach
Historically, building coded integrations with Salesforce involved several important steps.
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Secure Hosting Environment: Set up reliable, secure infrastructure.
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Bidirectional Data Sync: Establish real-time connections with Salesforce and Data Cloud.
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Salesforce Connected App: Create and configure OAuth applications.
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OAuth with Salesforce: Implement secure authentication flows.
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OAuth with Data Cloud: Manage additional authentication layers.
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Secure Token Management: Handle token storage and refresh cycles.
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Event Handling: Process events between platforms.
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Salesforce Flow Configuration: Set up integration touchpoints.
While this approach works well, it requires significant technical expertise and time investment to implement properly—all of which takes your focus away from adding business value and writing the code that makes your business unique and differentiated from others.
The Heroku AppLink Advantage
Heroku AppLink transforms this multistep process into a streamlined two-step solution.
Deploy Your Code
- Write your custom logic in any programming language.
- Deploy to Heroku's secure, managed infrastructure.
- Use Heroku's built-in DevOps automation and scaling.
Connect to Salesforce
- AppLink automatically handles all authentication and security
- Your code becomes instantly available as Custom Actions in Agentforce
- Seamlessly integrate with Salesforce Flows and Apex
Key Benefits
Seamless Security
- Managed Authentication: AppLink handles all OAuth flows automatically
- Salesforce User Permissions: Enforces existing Salesforce security models
- Three Interaction Modes: Controlled data access based on your needs
Accelerated Development
- SDK Templates: Prebuilt templates for common integration patterns
- Any Language: Use Python, Node.js, Java, or any language you prefer
- Built-in Discoverability: Centralized access to all your Heroku services
Enterprise-Ready Infrastructure
- Heroku's Secure Platform: Trusted by thousands of enterprises
- Auto-scaling: Handle any load without infrastructure management
- DevOps Automation: Built-in CI/CD and deployment pipelines
Performance Optimization
- Trigger Optimization: Move intensive tasks to Heroku for faster Salesforce UI
- Batch Processing: Speed up large data operations outside Salesforce limits
- Flow Enhancement: Perform complex calculations without blocking user workflows
Impact
With Heroku AppLink, developers can focus on building business value rather than managing integration complexity:
- Faster Time-to-Market: Reduce integration development time
- Language Flexibility: Use the best tools for each specific task
- Unlimited Scaling: Handle enterprise workloads without Salesforce governor limits
- Enterprise Security: Maintain compliance with automatic security updates